Abstract

Resistive-type palladium structures for hydrogen sensing remains as a research focus for their simplicity in device construction. We demonstrate that a siloxane self-assembled monolayer placed between a substrate and an evaporated ultrathin Pd film promotes the formation of small Pd nanoclusters and reduces the stiction between the palladium and the substrate. The resulting Pd nanoclusterfilm can detect with a rapid response time of and is sensitive to 25 ppm hydrogen, detectable by a 2% increase in conductance due to the hydrogen-induced palladium lattice expansion.

Received 28 January 2005Accepted 30 March 2005Published online 11 May 2005

Acknowledgments:

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, BES-Materials Science, Contract No. W-31-109-ENG-38. One of the authors (Z.L.X.) also acknowledges support from the U.S. Department of Education, and the State of Illinois under HECA.